Top 7 Reasons Why Website’s ARE Needed For Tradesmen

26 Jul Top 7 Reasons Why Website’s ARE Needed For Tradesmen

“I don’t need a website because I’m a builder/plumber/joiner/etc!” That’s what some tradesmen will tell you (and themselves) in justifying their decision for not having a website.

Many tradesmen run small businesses and most of these businesses only serve a particular local area. While some tradesmen believe that social media presence is enough online presence.

So, you now understand why some business owners think that a website is a luxury that they can do without.

However togged to the point, every business in any industry needs a website.

The internet is a brilliant marketing tool that you can’t afford to ignore, in fact it is costing you business and money while you are ignoring it.

Remember those days when an ad in the local newspaper or Yellow Pages would generate numerous calls? Those days are long gone.

Today, people don’t have time to look at those ads. A few people might check directory websites such as ratedpeople.com or yell.com but nowhere near the same amount as previous years.

Google is now their trusted partner when searching for local businesses. Even back in 2011, it was estimated that 4 out of 10 search queries processed by Google were about a local shop, person or service. That’s a few years ago and the internet has grown year on year, month on month.

Below are seven reasons why a tradesman and any other business needs to invest in a website.

1. Your website gives a professional first impression.

As an entrepreneur, you need to attract new customers while retaining the current ones. A website provides a perfect opportunity to tell your potential clients how good you are. It also gives you a more professional look.

Remember that new customers may not know a thing about your business. That’s why the first impression always counts.

Let’s face it, most customers will ignore the business that only places ads in a local newspaper but doesn’t have a web presence. They are likely to take it as another scam business out to swindle them out of their hard-earned money. A website gives them an impression that you mean business and they will be ready to engage with you.

It helps businesses to increase their search engine rankings and ultimately boost their website traffic. These techniques help you become an authority to search engines such as Google and Bing. For instance, if a potential customer searches “Electricians in Liverpool,” your website will be among the top results if you have an SEO optimised website.

Increased traffic to your website can lead to increased conversion rates if the visitors are impressed with your business. If you don’t have a website, you are missing on a critical internet marketing tool.

3. Your website gives your 24/7 online presence

I have spoke about this a lot in many of my blogs and also on social media. Your website is available to consumers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Potential customers can easily locate your business at any time of the day. It also means that you are always there for your customers. Most importantly, your website doesn’t need any supervision!

4. Your customers won’t miss out on any information

I 110% believe that a social media presence is important if not vital for your business. However, it may not be that effective when it comes to keeping your customers informed.

In my opinion this comes down to 2 reasons:

Although many people are connected to the internet, many aren’t active on social networking sites. These customers may miss out on crucial information about your business.

Social media is a lot busier than your own website and people can miss updates, plus networks like Facebook not displaying your posts to all of your followers so for some people who like your page they might only see 1 in every 15 things you post.With a website, your customers can access all the information they need in one place. Keeping your customers updated about what you are up to is a great way of retaining them.

5. Your website saves you money

Other types of advertising such as newspapers, radio and television can be very expensive. They are also a limited resource as regardless of whether it is leaflets or a radio advert you pay for a certain amount and when that is complete you have to pay again and again to keep it up. A website is usually just an initial set up cost.

6. You can show your previous work

Modern day consumers are more intense about finding out more details about who they are working with, because of this the clients want to see what they are getting before deciding whether to buy or not.

As a tradesman, showing your previous work is not easy because most of it is on other people’s premises. That’s where a website comes in handy. You can show your customers photos of your previous works and even videos. A customer testimonials page on your website shows your potential clients the experiences other clients have had while working with you.

7. People will Google your business after seeing your vehicle

If you have a business vehicle, then many people must have seen it. These people include your potential customers. Although they may forget most of the details, they will certainly remember the name of your business and they will Google it later. You can imagine the disappointment if your business is not among the search results simply because you have don’t have a website.

In conclusion as a business owner, you don’t have excuses for putting off building a website. With the business world becoming increasingly competitive, a website gives you an upper hand in the competition. When building a website, insist on a high quality, professional website that will make your business stand out in a crowd. Having a website is imperative.